The Newsroom blog

1 posts from July 2016

The most tumultuous British news story since the British Library began recording television and radio news programmes in 2010 has undoubtedly been the EU referendum. The result of the vote made on 23 June 2016 is still causing shockwaves, and has generated a compelling archive. It is hard to calculate just how many hours of broadcasting we have archived since the date of the referendum was announced on 20 February 2016 that relate to the subject, but it will be somewhere between 2,500 and 3,000 hours of TV and radio. On June 24 alone, the day the result was announced, we recorded 135 hours.

The archive comprises regular and specialist news and current affairs programmes broadcast over February-June 2016, plus comedy programmes, broadcasts by the Vote Leave and Britain Stronger in Europe campaigns, interviews, live speeches, parliamentary debates, public debates and through-the-night coverage of the result of the vote. There are programmes from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky News, but also CNN, Al Jazeera English, RT (Russia Today), France 24, NHK World (Japan), CCTV (China), BBC national radio channels, LBC and more. In general the referendum saw the traditional news media providing the chief platform for the national discussion. There was considerable activity on the web and via social media, but print (often thought to be waning in influence at general elections) and particularly television were where the mass audience came for its information, and to see the arguments played out.

Programmes on Broadcast News

The archive is available already at the British Library, and continues to be added to each day. Every programme recorded up to the end of June can be found via Explore, or on our Sound and Moving Image catalogue (SAMI), though the programmes themselves can only be played onsite, at either our St Pancras or Boston Spa locations. Researchers onsite may find it easier to explore the archive via the Broadcast News service, which offers word-searching for subtitled programmes and filtering by date, date range, channel or medium (TV and radio). If you are using Explore, you should search by a programme title or terms such as 'referendum', 'Brexit', 'EU' etc, and filter the results by Moving Image or Audio. Clicking on the Details tab of any record will give you the description plus the link to the playable programme (which will only play onsite).

Below is a list of some of the key special programmes broadcast (the list mostly does not include programmes such as Newsnight, Question Time, Peston on Sunday, The Andrew Marr Show, Murnaghan, Pienaar's Politics, Today and Daily Politics, which we record on a regular basis in any case). The descriptions mostly come from EPG (Electronic Programme Guide).

2016 EU Referendum - selected special programmes, February-June 2016

Channel

Title

Date

Description

BBC News

BBC News

20/02/2016

Prime minister announces date of referendum

BBC 1

BBC News at Ten

20/02/2016

Includes news that EU agreement has been made, triggering UK referendum

BBC Parliament

Live EU referendum statement

22/02/2016

Live coverage of the statement in the House of Commons by prime minister David Cameron on the deal reached with EU leaders on reforms to the terms of the UK's membership

BBC1

Panorama Special: In or Out - The EU Referendum

22/02/2016

How much do you know about the EU? Nick Robinson debates immigration, jobs and sovereignty.

BBC Parliament

EU Referendum - George Osborne

23/03/2016

The speech by George Osborne in Bristol on the importance of staying in the EU alongside fellow cabinet ministers Liz Truss, Amber Rudd and Stephen Crabb, from Monday 18 April.

BBC Parliament

EU Referendum - Gordon Brown

23/03/2016

The speech on the reasons for Britain to remain in the EU made by former Labour prime minister Gordon Brown at a conference on the economic consequences of "Brexit", from 21 April.

BBC Parliament

EU Referendum - Michael Gove

23/03/2016

Recorded coverage of the speech by justice secretary Michael Gove on the case for leaving the European Union, from Tuesday 19 April.

Ranvir Singh travels to London, Lincolnshire, Lancashire and Greater Manchester to find out whether public perception of immigration is borne out by the facts.

BBC Parliament

Live House of Commons coverage

11/04/2016

Government statement on EU referendum leaflet

BBC2

Europe: Them or Us - part 1

12/04/2016

1/2. An Island Apart: Nick Robinson explores the troubled history of the UK's relationship with Europe.

BBC News

Victoria Derbyshire

14/04/2016

Includes Jeremy Corbyn speech on EU referendum

BBC Parliament

Alastair Darling EU Speech

18/04/2016

Recorded coverage of former Labour chancellor Alistair Darling making a speech setting out the economic argument for the UK to remain in the European Union, from Friday 15 April.

BBC Parliament

Boris Johnson EU Speech

18/04/2016

Recorded coverage of London mayor Boris Johnson making a speech at a Vote Leave event in Manchester calling on the UK to leave the European Union, from Friday 15 April.

BBC2

Newsnight

18/04/2016

Referendum special on the economy

BBC Parliament

Vote Leave Event

18/04/2016

Recorded coverage of Labour MP and Vote Leave Chair, Gisela Stuart, making a speech entitled The Risks of Staying in the European Union, from Wednesday 13 April.

BBC2

Europe: Them or Us - part 2

19/04/2016

2/2. Voice of the People: The troubled history of the UK's relationship with Europe. Episode two goes behind the closed doors of Whitehall and Brussels.

BBC News

HARDtalk

19/04/2016

The battle for Britain's future, in or out of the EU, will be settled in June. Stephen Sackur's guest is Tim Martin, founder of JD Wetherspoon. Could Brexit make economic sense?

BBC Parliament

EU Referendum - Boris Johnson

10/05/2016

Recorded coverage of the speech by Conservative MP and leave campaigner Boris Johnson on the 'liberal cosmopolitan' case for Britain leaving the European Union, from Monday 9 May

BBC Parliament

EU Referendum - David Cameron

10/05/2016

Recorded coverage of David Cameron's speech on the forthcoming EU referendum, warning that peace in Europe could be at risk if Britain votes to leave the EU. From Monday 9 May

BBC2

Newsnight

16/05/2016

An EU referendum special with Evan Davis

Channel 4

Channel 4 News

17/05/2016

Includes EU referendum debate with members of UK minority communities

BBC1

Paxman in Brussels: Who Really Rules Us?

19/05/2016

As the EU referendum debate approaches its climax, Jeremy Paxman takes viewers on a journey to the heart of Europe, meeting the movers, shakers and anonymous faces who run the EU.

Channel 4

Referendum Campaign Broadcast

23/05/2016

A referendum campaign broadcast by the Vote Leave campaign

Channel 4

Referendum Campaign Broadcast

24/05/2016

A referendum campaign broadcast by the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign

Channel 4

Boris v Dave: The Battle for Europe

25/05/2016

Michael Crick examines how the EU referendum campaign has become a personal battle between David Cameron and Boris Johnson; a battle that will define the future of the country

BBC1

How Should I Vote? The EU Debate

26/05/2016

Live from Glasgow, Victoria Derbyshire hosts a debate on the issues that matter to younger voters ahead of the June referendum on whether or not Britain should remain in the EU.

BBC Parliament

Business Views on EU Referendum Committee

27/05/2016

Recorded coverage of the Business, Innovation and Skills committee on the views of businesses on the EU referendum, from Tuesday 24 May.

BBC Parliament

EU Polls Debate

28/05/2016

Recorded coverage of an event with pollsters and commentators asking whether the EU referendum polls can be relied on. From Wednesday 25 May.

BBC Parliament

Scotland and the EU Referendum Committee

28/05/2016

The Scottish Affairs Committee's session on the impact of the EU referendum on Scotland, from Wednesday 25 May.

BBC Parliament

Speaker's EU Debate

28/05/2016

Recorded coverage of the House of Commons speaker hosting a debate on the UK's membership of the European Union. From Monday 23 May.

BBC1

Countryfile

29/05/2016

Snowdonia: John Craven races a hill runner to the summit of Snowdon and meets the volunteers protecting the area's ospreys. Includes David Cameron and Boris Johnson speaking on EU referendum and the countryside.

Channel 4

An Immigrant's Guide to Britain

30/05/2016

Comedian Henning Wehn and his gang of first-generation immigrants provide an irreverent guide to life in Britain. This episode explores caravans, rugby, the weather and more. (Ep1/3)

A European referendum campaign broadcast from the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign. Featuring Stephen Hawking

BBC1

The Andrew Neil Interviews: Leave or Remain?

08/06/2016

Andrew Neil speaks to the chancellor of the exchequer, George Osborne MP. Then BBC News.

Channel 4

Referendum Campaign Broadcast

09/06/2016

A European referendum campaign broadcast by the Vote Leave campaign.

ITV

The ITV Referendum Debate

09/06/2016

Two-hour live debate ahead of the most significant UK referendum in recent history. Three senior political figures from each side answer questions from members of the audience. Nicola Sturgeon, Angela Eagle and Amber Rudd speak for Remain; Boris Johnson, Gisela Stuart and Andrea Leadsom speak for Leave.

BBC Parliament

EU Referendum Campaign - Blair and Major

10/06/2016

Recorded coverage of the EU referendum campaign event in Northern Ireland, with former prime ministers John Major and Tony Blair backing the UK to remain in the European Union.

BBC Parliament

EU Referendum Campaign - Gove and Raab

10/06/2016

Recorded coverage of the EU referendum campaign event with Michael Gove and Dominic Raab on why the UK should leave the European Union, from Wednesday 8 June.

BBC1

The Andrew Neil Interviews: Leave or Remain?

10/06/2016

Andrew Neil talks to leading campaigners on both sides of the EU referendum debate. In this programme he speaks to Ukip leader, Nigel Farage MEP. Then BBC News.

Recorded coverage of Boris Johnson announcing that he will not stand in the election to become the next leader of the Conservative Party, from Thursday 30 June.

BBC Parliament

Conservative Leadership - Stephen Crabb

30/06/2016

Recorded coverage of work and pensions secretary Stephen Crabb launching his campaign to be the next leader of the Conservative Party, from Wednesday 29 June.

BBC Parliament

Conservative Leadership - Theresa May

30/06/2016

Recorded coverage of home secretary Theresa May launching her campaign to be the next leader of the Conservative Party, from Thursday 30 June.

BBC News

HARDtalk

30/06/2016

Stephen Sackur talks to Segolene Royal, French environment minister and former socialist candidate for the French presidency about the British Brexit.

BBC 1

Question Time

30/06/2016

Topical debate in which guests from the worlds of politics and the media answer questions posed by members of the public

BBC R5L

Question Time Extra Time

30/06/2016

John Pienaar introduces coverage of Question Time, with the chance to continue the debate after the simulcast.

Sky News

The Pledge: Brexit

30/06/2016

This week on The Pledge it's a Brexit special. There will be straight talking debate on the UK's historic vote to leave the EU.

As said, we continue to record programmes relating to the aftermath of the referendum, as well as our regular news programming - some 40 hours per day. We will aim to upload new programmes to SAMI and Explore at the end of each month, but those who want up-to-the-minute recordings can always go direct to the Broadcast News service, which makes most of the programmes it records available an hour or so after broadcast. To access Broadcast News onsite, go to any British Library terminal, and click on the front page link for Sound and Moving Image services.

The British Library has also been archiving websites on the EU Referendum, as outlined in this blog from our Web Archiving team: Capturing and Preserving the EU Referendum Debate (Brexit). And of course we have been taking in most British newspapers as part of our standard Legal Deposit intake.